One Last Time.
A poem
I never got to say goodbye.
I never got to say how much I love you.
I never got to say how beautiful you are.
I never got to say how extraordinary you are.
I never got to say how thankful I am.
I never got to say how sorry I am.
I never got to say how guilty I am.
I never got to say how privileged I am to have you.
I never got to say thanks for teaching me patience.
I never got to say thanks for teaching me the love for family.
I never got to say thanks for teaching me mindfulness.
I never got to say thanks for teaching me gratefulness.
I never got to say that you the smartest person I’ve ever met.
I never got to say that you had an encyclopedic memory.
I never got to say that your presence affected so many lives.
I never got to say that you were an inspiration to so many people.
I never said how you made my life easier.
I never said how you made my life richer.
I never said how you made my life worth living.
I never said how you made my every dream come true.
You never came to know that your grandchildren went to your hometown.
You never came to know that your grandchildren met your secret admirers.
You never came to know that your grandchildren gained a new respect for you.
You never came to know that your grandchildren wanted to share their memories of your hometown.
You were the sparkle of our lives.
You were the reason for our joys.
You sacrificed so much for us.
You taught everything to us.
My mom had an impeccable memory with a zealousness to live to see her grandkids. We spent glorious 17 years together in Canada, but we could never go to India together. Money was a big issue and my mom did not like to travel and loved staying at home with us. With her encouragement, I took my children on a trip to India after 18 years. Mom was happy to stay back with Luke (our cat) and my brother. It was the best vacation we ever had, and the excitement was to share every delicious memory with her. When we came back, we found her in the hospital, where she was diagnosed with dementia. She didn’t recognize us and never came to know that her grandchildren loved everything about India, her hometown, her friends, and impressed by her even more. She never heard that “mom, we love you even more.”
© Fatima Imam
Writer, novice poet, teacher, mother, and a cat lover.
